Internal-combustion-engine equipment



F *3 1,616594 eb 19 7 J. MILTON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE EQUIPMENT Original Filed Feb. 27. 192

' windings at very slow engine speed.

Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

entrain stares teaser JOHN LEWIS MILTON, or OUIS L E, KENTUCKY,

INTERNAL-Q MB srI -ENGINE EQUIPMENT- Original application filed February 27, 1920, Serial No. 361,906 Divided and this-application filed June An object of this invention is to equip a generator rotor with an improved impulse starter and completely enclose and thereby protect it from the dust and dirt encountered in the operation of the internal combustion engine. The impulse starter is designed .to facilitate starting the engine by automatically and independently increasing the speed of the generator or magneto rotor upon slow or slight rotation of the engine shaft as in starting, thus affording substantially full electrical capacity of the ignition When the engine isturned for starting, the generator rotor is held stationary while springs are strained, which are released at the proper time to accelerate the rotor at a high rate of speed for a part of a revolution. The initial spark or sparks for ignition having been obtained, the engine begins to fire regularly and when it attains the desired speed the impulse starter feature is automatically disengaged and the rotor is driven at direct or uniform engine speed according to the built in ratio of gears. A special feature of this impulse starter resides in the fact that the gear provided for driving the magnetois utilized for enclosing and assisting in operating the springs of the impulse starter. Both springs are used for impelling and stopping the rotor so as to relieve it of unnecessary and injurious pounding by sudden stopping.

A further object of my invention is to produce an ignition generator that can be economically and accurately installed directly on the gearcase of an internal combustion engine and completely protect the impulse starter mechanism by said engine gear and oil not only these parts of the, magneto by the engines general circulating oil system but likewise the timing gears and bearing also the main magneto bearing.

I Another object is to provide means for locking the rotor of the generator to the impulse starter by automatically connecting the two members together.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1, represents a portion of an electric generator and impulse starter, shown partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinally section. Figure 2, is a vie-w of the impulse starter taken along the line 88 of Figure 1. Figure 3, is a view of the impulse starter taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 1. Fig- Serial No. 39,587.

of the rotor shaft 6 which projectstherefrom. Rotatably mounted on rotor shaft 6 isa helical gear 11 which is adapted to mesh with the timing gear of the engine, and

which is provided on its side or face next to the magneto frame 1 with an annular groove 11*. Projecting into and fixedly secured in suitable recessed portions of the gear are two diametrically opposite spring stops or abutments 40*, best shownin Figures 5 and 6.

In the two halves or sections of the groove 7 11 and located on opposite sides of the pair of stops or abutments 40 are a pair of helical springs 40 into the ends of which are secured buttons 40 for guiding and protecting the springs and for assuring good alignment with the stops or'abutments 40 and with driver pins 12 12 which project into the groove 11* from the yoke cage to be referred to presently.

Springs 40 are wound on an arbor and therefore produced in straight helical form and when equipped with the buttons 40 and placed in the sections of the annular groove 11 will assume the position shown in Figure 3; i. e. the coils or convolutions of the springslocated adjacent the center thereof willcontact the outer wall of the groove l1 and. the coils or convolutions adjacent the buttons will becontinuously, held free .or away from the walls of the gear both while at restor in operation. This arrangement of parts adds greatly to the life of the springs and to the freedom of action of the Part V Keyed to shaft 6 between the magneto frame 1 and gear 11 is an annular yoke cage 12 from the inner-wall 12 of which project the driver pins 12*, these pins extending into groove 11 between the buttons'on the adjacent ends of the springs 40. The shape of thestops or abutments %O .,.4;0 are such that the driver pins will 'at all times clear the same.

12 are; two radially movableyokes 4:2 and 43 one-having a lug 42 and the othemalug 43*, these lugs being oppositely disposed and being adapted when the ,yokes move 7 outwardly to project through the peripheral wall of the yoke cage. These yokes are so constructed and arranged that when the" rotor of the generator is rotated at low speed as in starting, the weight of the yokes will cause'them to fall to the lowest position possible within the cage, this position being shown in Figure 2 for yoke 4E3, at which time lug 43 is adapted toeugage a fixed stop 'member 44 secured to the neto frame 1 by screws 44? orotherwise. When this engagement takes place the rotor and all parts fixed to it are held stationary while the gear 11 continues to advance compressing springs i4t0 as indicatedto an extentin Figure 3. While this is occurring strip pins 11- and 11 which 131018013 from the face of gear 11 into slots in the wall 12,- oftheyoke cage progress toward cam faces 42" and as of the lyolres 42, and 43.

After a predetermined relative movement between gear 11 and the rotor of the generator one of the, trip pins engages the cam face i of one of the vokes in this instance the cam face 43 and lifts the associate yoke inthisinstance the yoke 13, until the projecting lug on the yoke clears stop- 41%.

The rotor and all parts of same are now rapidly propelled forward under the influence: of the springs 40. As the springs force their way back to normal position in the groove 11 the momentum of the rotor and its parts now drive pins 12"-12 against the buttons attached to the other ends of the springs and force them from their seats which are formed by the stops or abutments In doing this thesprings absorb'the recoil without a sudden and harsh action, thereby increasing the life and usefulness of the entireappa'ratusl As the speed'of the engine'increases, centrifugal force acts on the yokes which are so weighted and proportioned that theyrotate with their cage 12 without the lugs 42 43, projecting. The drive is now direct with pins 12 12 be ing held in register with stops lO by the springs 40, 40. and the buttons L0, 40*.

Figure '3 shows thefgear 11. advanced approximately 20, degrees and the spring jpartially strained.

lVhile I have shown-my impulse starter mechanismdirectly mounted on the generator shaft, I do not limit myself to this, application as others are quite possible.

instance I. can attach it to the cam shaft or half time gear in which the speed of,

For

the rotor would be increased: when the. im-

pulse starter springs are propelling. 'llhis would be of value whenapphedto a direct current generator. In Figure 1, I have shown an automatic means for positively locking the driving gear 11 and the driven members of the rotor together. Screw is held in the position as shown by spring 51. As the speed of the generator is in creased, the weight 52 progresses the screw until the end 50* meshes with the hole 12 in yoke cage face 12, when positive locking is effected.

What I claim is:

1. In an impulse drive mechanism, the

combination of a rotary driven member, a V

rotary driving member adapted to have. a limited turning movement in relation to-the driven member, one of said members being formed with an annular channel, and resilient force-transmitting means disposed in said channel be ween abutments on saiddriving and driven members and compr1s ing a coil spring structure and guide members seated 1n the end co1ls of said struce tare and engaging sa1d abutments, sa1d guide members and channel being greater.

in diameter than the spring structure whereby the coils of'the latter adjacent the guide members are held out of contact with the channel walls. I

2. In an impulse drive mechanism, the

combination of a rotary driven member, a rotary driving member adapted. to have a limited turning movement in relation to the driven member, one of said members being formed with an annular channel, and re silient force-transmitting means disposed in saidchannel between abutments on said driving and driven members and comprising a pair of coil spring structures and guide members seated in the end coils of said structures and engaging sa1d abutments, sa1d in diameter than'the spring structures whereby the coils of the latter acent the guide members are held out of contact with the channel walls. I V

3. In an impulse drive mechanism, the combination of a rotary driven member, a rotary driving member adapted to have a limited turning movement in relation to the driven member, one of said members being formed with an annular channel, and resilient force-transmitting means disposed in said channel between abutments on said driving and driven members and compris guide members and channel being greater 

